Users may interact with each other in a messaging system, sending messages back and forth to each other in a text-based conversation between two or more users. A user may have a user account associated with them in the messaging system, the user account providing an online identity for the user, a destination for messages directed to the user, and generally coordinating the user's access to and use of the messaging system. A user may access the messaging system from a variety of endpoints, including mobile devices (e.g., cellphones), desktop computers, web browsers, specialized messaging clients, etc. The messaging system may provide access to further functionality beyond messaging, for example, by detecting time information in messages that can be used to perform other functions such as creating a calendar event, creating a reservation at a restaurant or travel service, or buying tickets to an event. However, time information in natural language may need further processing in order to be useful for such functions.